KAP Industrial Holdings subsidiaries restructure

After several years of competing with each other in the safety footwear market, KAP Industrial Holdings companies United Fram, Wayne Plastics and Jordan Shoes are to form a single marketing entity. Timing and details will be announced in July.

United Fram’s principal brand is Frams, and Jordan has created a safety footwear version of its Bronx brand. Frams is the country’s oldest existing safety footwear brand, and despite all the new competitors in the market, it remains one of the best known. Jordan is claiming substantial growth for Bronx Industrials, off no base 3 years ago.

United Fram sells directly to PPE resellers and to a number of major end users, mostly mines. Jordan markets all its safety footwear via Safety Smart.

In a probable hint that marketing of all brands will be via Jordans, United Fram marketing manager Mike Lithgow, appointed 2 years ago as a probable long-term successor to MD Jeff Burland, left “on amicable terms” in March.

Veteran sales manager John Drier, who had been scheduled to retire in June, will stay on “for the foreseeable future”.

Jordan MD Brian Pollock said: “We’ll give the complete story in July, but at this stage, I can tell you that we will be combining forces with Wayne Plastics and Fram to form a formidable team in the safety boot industry.

“We will be coming out with a new marketing and sales strategy, but can’t pass on any details at this stage.”

No mention has so far been made of the fourth footwear-related company in the KAP stable, Mossop Western – which ironically sells little or no leather into the safety footwear industry, but which is hoping that a touted export levy on bovine raw and wet blue hides would give it the raw material to be able to compete with Indian buffalo, the leather used almost exclusively by local safety footwear manufacturers, because of price.